Crawford avalanche., 1887-03-31
EMPEROR WILLIAM.
The German Sovereign's Nine
tieth Birthday Celebrated with
Great Enthusiasm.
Presents to the Aged RuIer-DecOra.
tiOns Conferred Upon Many
Prominent Persons.
Gable dispatch from Berlin. !


The goth anniversary of Emperor Will
Jams birthday was ushered in Tuesday,
March %, by the pealing of bells and the
sounding of choral. Early in the day
special religious services were held in all
the churches, which were attended by the
children from all the schools in the city,
who marched to the churches in procession,
headed by bands of music. The city is
decorated as it never was before, flags and
drapery being hung from every building.
The monument of Frederick the Great
was covered with wreaths and flowers.
Wherever there was bust or statue of the
Emperor in shop window or other ex-
posed place it was buried in flowers. The
streets were thronged with people in holi-
day attire from an early hour.
The students procession, on horseback
and in carriages, was grand affair." Pass
ing the palace the bands played the ma
tional anthem, "Preussenlied," and
"Wacht am Rhein, the students all sing
ing to the music. The Emperor appeared
ut the window as the procession was NOV
ing past and bowed, remaining there o con-
siderable time.
The municipal procession was preceded
by heralds and marshals bearing the town
banner, the whole body of the evangelical
clergy, the chief civil and military authori-
ties, representatives of German science,
art, and commerce, the directors of the
gymnasia, and the burgesses and commu-
nal otficers-in all over two thousand per-
sons. The procession was accompanied by
several bands, which PLAYED marches alter
nately with chorals by trumpeters. The
procession went in state from the town
nall to attend the commemoration religious
service in the Church of st. Nicholas. The
clergymen were all full robed, and the Of
When the procession entered the church
the organ played prelude. This was fol-
lowed by the singing of the "Salvum fac
Regem" and the chanting of the Ambro-
sian hymn. The festival sermon was
preached by Provost Bruechner.
At noon royal salute of 101 guns was
fired from the Koenigsplatz. Prince Bis,
marck and Marshal Won Moltke went tc
pay their CONGRATULATIONS to the Emperor
at o'clock. They were enthusiastically
cheered all along the route of their way to
and from the palace.
The illuminations at night throughout
the city were superb.
Emperor William conferred the decora.
of the grand cross of the Red Eagle upor
Ministers Won Puttkamer, Lucius, and vor
Boetticher; the grand cross of the Hohen-
Zollern family order upon Ministers Won
Gossler, Won Scholz, and Won Scheellen-
dorf. and General Albedyll; the first class
of the Red Eagle upon General Won
Caprivi and Count Nesselrode, and the
star of the Red Eagle of the second class
upon Count Herbert Bismarck. General
Katie was appointed Grand Huntsman,
and Count Pueckler Chief Cupbearer.
Among the presents received by the En-.
peror were an exact duplicate of the Gen.
erals sash worn by Frederick the Great
from the Empress; "Grandpapa's Birth
day." a terra Gotta group by Eugene Blot,
from Paris; besides floral tributes from all
parts of Germany and from England.
The day was celebrated with similar and
equal enthusiasm in all the towns of the
empire. Banquets, thanksgiving services,
etc., were held at oil the capi-
tails of Europe in honor of the venerable